John Paulitious (died June 1645) was Edinburgh's first plague doctor.[1][2][3] He died in June 1645 of bubonic plague within weeks of tending the sick.[3] At the time, there was a severe epidemic of this disease in Edinburgh;[1] in fact, it's believed that there were only about 60 men around to defend the city at the height of the epidemic.[4]

His successor was George Rae,[2][3][4] who was appointed on 13 June 1645.[4] He was promised an enormous sum of money ("£100 a month"[5]) for this position, as it was expected that he, too, would die before he could collect; however, Rae survived and spent ten years attempting to collect his promised payment, but it is widely believed that he died without ever receiving it.[1][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jules (15 July 2006). "The Plague Doctors". Edinburgh's Dark Side. Archived from the original on 18 July 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Discover" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Brit History: Plague Doctors in British History". Anglotopia.net. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Real Edinburgh Plague Doctor". Real Mary Kings Close. 24 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "Revealing Edinburgh's Deepest Secrets". Real Mary King's Close. 2003. Archived from the original on 29 December 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2021.


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